Louis Dreyfus Company Launches Its Camelina Program in Uruguay
Montevideo, Uruguay, March 21, 2024 – Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC) announced today the launch of its camelina program in Uruguay as part of the agreement with Global Clean Energy Holdings (GCEH) to promote camelina cultivation in South America. GCEH will provide camelina varieties and technical support, while LDC will manage originations and contracts with producers, as well as processing into flour and oil. Additionally, it will oversee that production meets the corresponding sustainability certification.
Camelina is used as an ultra-low-carbon raw material for renewable fuel production and as an ingredient for high-protein animal feed production. New to local agriculture, this oilseed has a short production cycle that allows it to be integrated into existing crop rotations as a cover crop (green bridge), while helping to preserve soil health before planting summer crops such as corn or soy.
The announcement took place during the 27th edition of Uruguay’s annual Expoactiva Nacional, during the “Launch of a new crop in Uruguay” panel organized by LDC.
“In a world that increasingly demands sustainable actions, camelina plays an ever more prominent role,” said Pepe Autilio, Global Head of Seeds for LDC. “Its characteristics, which contribute to both environmental sustainability and producer profitability, make it a strategic asset for the entire value chain,” he concluded.
“Camelina offers two fundamental benefits for both Uruguay and the region. On the one hand, it allows for additional income generation by utilizing lands that would otherwise be inactive during the winter, without affecting the main summer crops. On the other hand, it simultaneously promotes clean fuel production while contributing to improved soil health in the process,” stated Fernando Correa Urquiza, LDC’s Regional Head of Grains & Oilseeds for South & West Latin America.
LDC and GCEH have been working on camelina origination and processing in Argentina since July 2023. The extension of the program in Uruguay, in line with guidelines set out over the past year, aims to further consolidate production and merchandizing of the crop in the region.
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About Louis Dreyfus Company
Louis Dreyfus Company is a leading merchant and processor of agricultural goods, founded in 1851. We leverage our global reach and extensive asset network to serve our customers and consumers around the world, delivering the right products to the right location, at the right time – safely, reliably and responsibly. Our activities span the entire value chain, from farm to fork, across a broad range of business lines (platforms): Carbon Solutions, Coffee, Cotton, Food & Feed Solutions, Freight, Global Markets, Grains & Oilseeds, Juice, Rice and Sugar. We help feed and clothe some 500 million people every year by originating, processing and transporting approximately 80 million tons of products. Louis Dreyfus Company is active in over 100 countries across six geographical regions, and employs approximately 17,000 people globally. For more information, visit www.ldc.com and follow us on LinkedIn, X and WeChat (ID: we_are_ldc).
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